Monday, October 8, 2012ESPN 300 ATH Collins commits to Texas
By William Wilkerson

For the first time since June 12 the Longhorns can add a new name to their Class of 2013 commitments list.

ESPN 300 athlete Chevoski Collins (Livingston, Texas/Livingston) gave Texas his verbal pledge during an announcement at his school at 10 a.m. this morning.

“I’ve been knowing their coaching staff for a really long time,” Collins said. “I have a really good relationship with Bo Davis, [Duane] Akina, Darrell Wyatt, Mack Brown. There’s just really good things they’ve got going on at Texas.”

ESPN 300 athlete Chevoski Collins could play either defensive back or receiver in college.

The four-star recruit, who is rated No. 255 overall, chose the Longhorns over Oklahoma, Baylor, TCU and Oklahoma State. He also had offers from New Mexico State, Texas Tech, Utah and Vanderbilt. But in the end it was the family atmosphere that has him hooked on Texas.

“When I went to the University of Texas, it felt like family,” he said. “I fit right in. It’s a real good coaching staff and I have a real good relationship with all of them: Coach Brown, Coach Akina, Coach [Manny] Diaz. I just felt welcome there. And it’s close to home, my family can come see me. I’m just ready to be a Horn.”

Collins (6-foot, 190 pounds) is the No. 28 athlete in the country who Texas recruited as a defensive back. However, he said it is unclear which side of the ball he will play on.

“They’re bringing me in as an athlete so it’s undecided what position I will play,” he said. “I might play offense or defense. Or I might play both sides of the ball, they haven’t decided yet.”

He never took an official visit to Texas and wasn’t able to make it to Austin over the weekend to watch the Longhorns face West Virginia because he had to take an SAT exam Saturday morning, and Livingston is a four-hour drive away. But this is a decision that he’s known since last week so the trip wasn’t necessary.

“He's just a great young man and a great leader,” Livingston coach Randy Rowe said. “I'm always proud when I take him down to our elementary schools and introduce him as being a Livingston Lion; a "Livingston man," we call him, because of the type of young man he is, by the way he lives. Certainly his athletic ability is [great] and he's been a pleasure to coach. He's an outstanding talent. In 23 years [of coaching] he's rare."

Collins is the 15th commitment for the Longhorns in 2013 and the 13th four-star recruit. He’s the third defensive back recruit along with ESPN 150 cornerback Antwuan Davis (Bastrop, Texas/Bastrop) and safety Erik Huhn (Cibolo, Texas/Steele).